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Sun Jun 14, 2015 6:40 pm

While driving last night, my car failed to shift in to second gear. The car had the faint smell of clutch for some part of the day, but wasn't giving me any issues until that night. When I couldn't get in to second, I tried each of the other gears with no luck. I pulled (pushed) over to assess. The shifter was slightly loose, so I started with tightening that, adjusted it several times, and finally got to where I had 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and reverse. I decided to back it off the entrance ramp and pull it in the a lit gas station to continue adjusting. I pushed in the clutch, placed it in reverse, and with the clutch still engaged, started the car. It immediately started and stalled as if the clutch wasn't pushed in at all.

I towed it the 42 miles home ($$$) and took the engine out to assess the clutch. This is what I found.

Just for shits and giggles, with the engine out I put the car in first and spun the back tires, and the transmission made this awful ticking sound, making me feel like the clutch is not the only issue.

These are my questions:
1. Does this sound like the Trans is stuck in between gears?
2. If so, does that indicate an issue with the hockey stick of the dislodged or broken variety?
3. Would whatever is wrong with the transmission cause the clutch to become shredded?
4. Is this user error or transmission builder error?
5. Will I ever own a VW that can go more than a month without costing me a billion dollars?

Probable helpful info:
-1973 Thing
- rebuilt trans
- engine/trans/clutch have about 2,000 miles on them
- the day this happened, the car was being used as a "get away car" for a friend's wedding. The groom (driver) drives a manual daily, but has never driven an aircooled car. This incident happened after I got the car back about ten miles out from the venue.
- the car is very low and was driven that day on a very bumpy, very unpaved road.

Help.

Sun Jun 14, 2015 9:25 pm

Block one of the tires when you spin. Run it through the gears. Looks like your buddy owes you some parts. If you spun it without the tire blocked it was probably your spider gears, if it was spinning opposite direction. Lowered are hard on diffs, especially borrowed ones on a bumpy road.

Sun Jun 14, 2015 9:46 pm

I wouldn't worry about the transmission yet. That clutch was fried though...
You're sure he knows how to drive a manual transmission?
Pictures of pressure plate and flywheel face (cleaned) would be nice.

Mon Jun 15, 2015 6:20 am

Boolean wrote: I wouldn't worry about the transmission yet. That clutch was fried though...
You're sure he knows how to drive a manual transmission?
Pictures of pressure plate and flywheel face (cleaned) would be nice.

He drives a manual daily, so I assume yes. I also rode with him on a test run earlier in the day, and he seemed to do fine.

Both seem to be unscathed. Still machine marks from production. No chips, dents, or imperfections. Neither is blued.

I'm having a hard time understanding HOW this happened to the clutch. It is totally destroyed but the surrounding parts all seem fine.

Mon Jun 15, 2015 7:09 am

Maybe he had his foot rested lightly on the clutch pedal while driving? The clutch would be slipping the whole time he drove and that destroyed the disk in short order.

I'm not totally sure but maybe with a hydro clutch (on his DD) he get's away with it since it's not a direct on/off like the VW's cable actuated clutch?

At least clutch disks are relatively cheap...

Mon Jun 15, 2015 7:16 am

sallittjob wrote: Maybe he had his foot rested lightly on the clutch pedal while driving? The clutch would be slipping the whole time he drove and that destroyed the disk in short order.

I'm not totally sure but maybe with a hydro clutch (on his DD) he get's away with it since it's not a direct on/off like the VW's cable actuated clutch?

At least clutch disks are relatively cheap...

If it was slipping the whole time, it would show heat marks of the flywheel

Mon Jun 15, 2015 10:31 am

Is there any markings on that clutch disk indicating brand or where its manufactured? If it said "Made In China" then you could feel safe resurfacing that flywheel, getting new clutch and chalking it up to cheap parts.

If its not Made In China, then I would have someone else resurface that flywheel or buy a new Flywheel and clutch as the flywheel could have been machined wrong. (distance between bolt mount face and clutch face incorrect leading to constant slip).

Either way, disk, pressure plate, and flywheel resurface is in order. Make sure to get good stuff!!!

Mon Jun 15, 2015 1:39 pm

What happened to the grease in the bearing in the flywheel bolt?

Mon Jun 15, 2015 3:00 pm

A grooms get away car? You probably should check the rear suspension as well. He might have been Rough on that too.

Mon Jun 15, 2015 7:38 pm

Flywheel and pp actually look pretty good. The disc looks shot without being worn. Strange... Super extra low quality disc?

Tue Jun 16, 2015 1:35 am

Boolean wrote: Flywheel and pp actually look pretty good. The disc looks shot without being worn. Strange... Super extra low quality disc?

Shouldn't be. I trust my parts guy, he's never steered me wrong before.

Dr OnHolliday wrote: What happened to the grease in the bearing in the flywheel bolt?

I had just wiped everything clean before the picture was taken.

I've bought a new clutch, and am ready to install pending the fixing of the transmission. That's really my bigger worry. [/quote]

Tue Jun 16, 2015 2:20 am

I don't know of any mechanism where the clutch can damage the transmission or vice versa, unless the car was so badly abused that the entire driveline is hammered.

Your clutch doesn't look like others I have seen that blew up because they wore down to nothing, it looks like it had a lot of life left to it and was destroyed somehow. My guess is that someone tried to do a burn out or something in it and destroyed it.

Tue Jun 16, 2015 3:36 am

Aerindel wrote: I don't know of any mechanism where the clutch can damage the transmission or vice versa, unless the car was so badly abused that the entire driveline is hammered.

Your clutch doesn't look like others I have seen that blew up because they wore down to nothing, it looks like it had a lot of life left to it and was destroyed somehow. My guess is that someone tried to do a burn out or something in it and destroyed it.

That's definitely not the case. He only drove it a mile down the street and I was within eye sight of him the entire time. I also know that I treat the car well and don't drive it improperly.